Improvement in car-starters



A. LEMAIRE-DOUCHY.

Clar-Starter.

No. 222,288. Patented Dec. 2, |879.

N. PETERS. PHoTo-uTHoGRAFHER, wASHxNGTQNy D c.

PATENT O'Friron.

ALEXANDRE LEMAIRE-BOUGHT, or mais, FRANCE; f

lMPROVEMYEN'VI IN CAR-STARTERS.

i Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,288, datedDecember 2, 1879 5 application filed October 2, 1879.

To all whom it may concer-n:

` Beit known that I, ALEXANDRE LEMAIRE- DOUCHY, of Paris, France, haveinvented oertain Improvements in Car-Starters, of which the following isa specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a reliable and effectivecar-starter, which de rivespits power from the storing up ofthe motivepower of the vehicle as it is being stopped, so that this power may beutilized to start the car again. This objectl I attain in the mannerwhich I will now proceed to describe, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view of my improvedcarstarting devices, the car itself being indicated by dotted lines;Fig. 2, a plan View, partly in section, with the frame of the carindicated by dotted lines, and Figs. X, x, and y de` tached views of amodification.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing a combination ofdevices whereby the last revolutions of the car-wheels, asl the car isbeing brought to stand-still, may be utilized to cause the piston of acylinder so to move as to forni a vacuum or compression in the cylinder,and by means of Asuitable catch mechanism to retain the piston of thecylin= der in position until it is desired to start the vehicle again,when the power-transmitting `mechanism is reversedand the catch mech-Referring to Figs. l and 2, B B area pair I of cylinders bolted to aframe secured to the under side of the car. The piston-rods of thesecylinders are adapted to slide in guides, also secured to the frame, andare each provided with a double rack or two racks, G G, ar- 4ranged onopposite sides of the front axle, F, and in different vertical planes,as shown in Fig. 2. With each of these racks gears a pinion, e, loose onthe axle F, and in each pinion is a conical socket, into which can t aclutchblock, M, secured on the shaft F by a feather,

so that the block can slide on, but must turn with, the shaft. Theseveral clutch-blocks are under the control of vforked levers F, pivotedto the frame at p, and having pivotcd nuts at their outer ends, whichare adapted to screws e on the transverse shaft V. This shaft can becaused to rotate by means of the handle m, under the control of thedriveror conductor, through the medium of bevel-gear, as shown in thedrawings, so that the screws e on the shaft V can move the levers F,soas to throw the clutch-blocks M into gear witlfthose piuions whichcontrol either the uppertwo racks or the lower two racks on thepiston-rods of the cylinders B B. Secured to the outer ends of the rackson the pistons are extensions G, provided .with hooks g g, which, whenthe pis ton-rods are moved out, engage with hooks y' on pivotedspring-arms J. These spring-arms are connected, by a chain passing overa pulley, with the lower end of the rod controlled by the handle m, sothat by turning this handle theE spring-arms J may be so drawn back asto release the hooks g g on thepiston-rods. In the ends of thevacuum-cylinders B are openings closed by spring-valves S, which, whenthe piston reaches the end of inward motion, are acted on by aprojection, T, on said pistons, so as to allow a little air to enter thecylinders and lessen the shock. e

When'the car is in progress `the parts of the brake and startingmechanism are in the position shown in the drawings, none of the fourpinions c being clutched to the shaft F. When it is desired to stopthevehicle the handle m is so operated as to cause the levers F to forcethe clutch-blocks M into the ytwo pinions c, which are in gear with `theupper two racks, so that, as the axle` continues to revolve, thepiston-rods and pistons will be drawn outward until the hooks g g engagewith the spring-catches T, by which timethe car will have been broughtto a stand-still, and a vacuum formed. in the cylindersB B.

When it is desired to start thel vehicle again the levers F arereversed, so as to cause the clutches to connect to the shaft F thosetwo pinions which gear with the lower tworacks, G C, and the catches J Jare then released, so that, under the action of the vacuum in thecylinder, the pistons and' piston-rodswill be drawn back, and the rackscaused to turn the axle, so as to start the vehicle i Instead of workingthe apparatus with a vacuum it may be operated by compressed air by aslight modification in the construction of the cylinders.

It is not necessary that two cylinders and attachments should be used.In many cases a single cylinder with piston-rod, rack, and connectionswill sufce.

In Fig. X I have illustrated a modification, consistin gof asin glecylinder and attachments. The piston-rod A of the vacuum orcompressedair cylinder B is connected by a swivel-joint, D, to a rack,C, having a prismatic extension, G, Fig. a', which passes through acorresponding opening in a Worm-wheel, H, geared with a worm, V', underthe control of the driver of the vehicle. This worm-Wheel carries asocket adapted to a bearing, I, and held in place by a transverse pin,so that while the worm-wheel and shaft G must turn with each other thesaid shaft can slide longitudinally in the said wheel. Hence byoperating the worm V' the rack G can be so turned as to gear either witha bevelpinion, c, on the axle E of the vehicle or with a bevel-pinion,c', on a counter-shaft, F, Fig. y, this latter pinion, c', being gearedto the axle E through the medium of the bevel-Wheels or pinions c2 c3.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from thepreceding description.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a compressed-air orvacuum cylinder having a piston-rod carrying a reversible or doublerack, C, provided with a hooked extension, G, with the spring-catches J,under the control of the driver, and the caraxle carrying pinions anddevices, substantially as described, for reversing the connectionsbetween the said rack or racks and pinlons.

2. The combination of a compressed-air or vacuum cylinder having apiston carrying the two racks C C, in dii'erent vertical planes, withthe car-axle carrying loose pinions c c, one gearing with each rack, andslidin g clutchblocks M and levers F, under the control of the driver,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specilication inthepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDRE LEMAIRE-DOUCHY.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH DEHAGEY, ROBT. M. HooPE.

